Jordan Deschamps-Braly and Maya Alex married March 8, 2013, on the bride's birthday - and a year to the day after he proposed over drinks at the Top of the Mark by presenting her an engraved lock like the ones lovers place on bridges in Paris. He also gave her a ring made of stones from his great-aunt's wedding ring.

Photo: Moanalani Jeffrey

Jordan Deschamps-Braly and Maya Alex married March 8, 2013, on the...

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Plastic surgeon Jordan Deschamps-Braly, a surgeon at Oakland Children's Hospital, and Paris runway model Maya Alex wed March 8, 2013, at their loft at the Millenium Tower in San Francisco. The ceremony was conducted by former Mayor Willie Brown on the bride's birthday, and a year to the date that her boyfriend proposed. When he proposed over drinks at the Top of the Mark, he gave her a lock in a gift box, to symbolize the lovers locks placed on bridges in Paris -- the city in which they met. The lock contained their initials and the date of her birthday and the proposal.

Photo: Courtesy Jordan Deschamps-Braly

Plastic surgeon Jordan Deschamps-Braly, a surgeon at Oakland...

Image 3 of 3

Plastic surgeon Jordan Deschamps-Braly, a surgeon at Oakland Children's Hospital, and Paris runway model Maya Alex wed March 8, 2013, at their loft at the Millenium Tower in San Francisco. The ceremony was conducted by former Mayor Willie Brown on the bride's birthday, and a year to the date that her boyfriend proposed. When he proposed over drinks at the Top of the Mark, he gave her a lock in a gift box, to symbolize the lovers locks placed on bridges in Paris -- the city in which they met. The lock contained their initials and the date of her birthday and the proposal.

If not for the relaxed rules of etiquette among the younger set in Paris, plastic surgeon Jordan Deschamps-Braly might not have met former runway model Maya Alex, much less married her.

The two were invited to a group dinner at La Maison du Jardin in October 2011. Jordan, a plastic surgeon from Oklahoma, had worked at a children's hospital in Wisconsin and was studying with craniofacial specialists in Paris. He arrived with the host, an American from El Paso who was a friend of a friend.

The friend spoke French and was "great fun," Jordan recalled, which turned out to be important as they had to entertain each other when none of the other guests showed up at the tiny bistro, leaving their large table nearly empty - and the waiters fuming.

The night was almost over and then, in an instant, it wasn't.

In strode a 5-foot-11 beauty - Maya, a student at the Sorbonne who also worked as a runway model. She plunked herself down in a chair and apologized for being late, then asked, "Where is everyone?"

In her mind, she hadn't committed a faux pas.

"In Paris, those things are casual. It's totally OK to skip the first course and show up for dessert," Maya recalled. "My friend who invited me told me it was one of those dinners. So I arrive at 10 p.m., and there's only Jordan and my friend sitting at a table for 10 people. The waiters were really mad because only two came."

But the tension wore off. The three went for an after-dinner drink. New feelings began to emerge.

Maya, a Bulgarian whose parents are mathematicians, was struck by Jordan's good looks and intelligence.

"In Paris, most men are not all that great - there a lot of arrogant types there," she said. "It was a nice change to meet someone really nice and handsome and sweet."

Jordan was stunned by her commanding presence and "a little bit peeved" at his friend, he said, for not introducing them sooner.

"It's probably better that he hadn't," Jordan said. "With the setups, the expectations usually ruin everything."

Within days, the couple formed a bond over shared passions for fine arts, modern furniture, food and fashion.

A few months later, Jordan moved to Zurich for further medical studies with specialists. Maya finished classes at the Sorbonne, where she was studying contemporary literature and political science. They visited by high-speed train, and eventually decided to move to the United States.

Jordan had grown up on his family's cattle ranch in Oklahoma. His mother is a lawyer; his father owns an aviation business. Jordan had hoped to work at a major academic center, but found there were restrictions on the types of positions available to younger surgeons, and prohibitions on setting up an outside practice.

"My folks have always made their own way, and I've been taught to be self-sufficient," he said. "I don't take orders very well."

He found a job to his liking in the Bay Area as a staff surgeon at Oakland Children's Hospital, has opened a private practice for adults, and is in the process of establishing a nonprofit called Happy Skulls for children in need of craniofacial surgery who cannot afford it or don't have access to it.

While job hunting last year, the two came to San Francisco and had drinks at the Top of the Mark to celebrate Maya's birthday, March 8. Jordan presented her a large gift box. When she opened it, it was empty, except for a padlock - a symbol of the lovers' locks on the Pont de l'Archevêché and Pont des Arts in Paris. It was inscribed: "JDB - MLA 3-8-12."

She was confused until he asked, "Would you like to quit being my girlfriend?" and handed her a ring. It was made of stones from the wedding ring worn by his great-aunt, who was left paraplegic after a car accident in 1921 but who learned to walk with crutches and braces, had a career, and married.

Jordan, 34, and Maya, 25, embarked on their own journey when they wed March 8, a year to the date, in a small, candlelit ceremony at their loft in the Millennium Towers, with former Mayor Willie Brown officiating. The gathering of 30 family members and friends included the bride's parents, Lyudmil Alexandrov and Krassi Alexandrova of Sofia, Bulgaria, and the groom's parents, George Braly and Dania Deschamps-Braly of Ada, Okla.

The bride wore a Vera Wang sheath and designed her own wedding flowers and bouquet. The groom wore a dark blue Christian Dior tuxedo with black accents. Miette designed a 3-foot wedding cake made of macarons, and appetizers came from Ladies Who Lunch catering.

"Neither of us is the type who thinks a huge display of wealth makes it a better wedding," Jordan said. "We wanted to be able to give personal attention to all our guests."